Bio

Photo: Sally McCay

Yutaka Kono​Conductor

A versatile musician, Dr. Yutaka Kono is a highly active conductor as the Artistic Director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, the conductor of Vermont Youth Philharmonia of Vermont Youth Orchestra Association, and the Director of Orchestra/Associate Professor of Music at the University of Vermont. He was born in Tokyo, Japan and began studying piano at age of 7. He began playing the tuba in middle school, and continued when he came to the US as an exchange student. He received a Bachelor of Music magna cum laude from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a Master of Music from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Then, he became the first person ever to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Tuba performance from The University of Texas at Austin. While pursuing the tuba degrees, Dr. Kono also studied piano, composition and conducting. He was the Assistant Conductor of the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra (TX) which he conducted the season opening concerts from 2007-2011. ﻿ Dr. Kono previously taught at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, The University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. He has studied conducting with Jerry Junkin, Mark Kelly, Eugene Dowdy, Peter Bay and Silas Huff. Dr. Kono was selected to attend the Summer Conductors Institute at the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Maestro Neil Varon and conducted the Rochester Philharmonic. In summer 2018, Maestra Diane Wittry of Allentown Symphony Orchestra chose Dr. Kono to be one of the conducting fellows for 2018-19 season to assist the production of February 2019 concerts. His honors include Finalist for The American Prize for orchestral conducting in three different divisions, College/University, Youth and Professional, and Bronze Medal of the Global Music award for his composition "Mamma at the Gate." He studied composition with Alex Lubet, Stephan Paulus, and Donald Grantham.

Dr. Kono is a highly active performer on tuba. As a soloist, he is the winner of the concerto competition held at the University of Minnesota and performed with several orchestras and bands in Vermont, Ohio, Minnesota, Texas and Tokyo. As a chamber musician, he performed with the Austin Symphony Brass Quintet, Austin City Brass, Austin Brass Ensemble, and a jazz ensemble--Tina Marsh’s Creative Opportunity Orchestra. He was the principal tubist of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra (TX), and his orchestral credits include the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra (TX), San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, New Texas Music Festival Orchestra, Bowling Green Symphony Orchestra, Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra and many others. His diverse interest has led him to perform with non-classical ensembles ranging from Jazz, Dixieland to Rock and Klezmer. He studied the tuba primary with Ivan Hammond, Ross Tolbert, Steven Bryant and Robert Lindahl, and has also done additional studies with Daniel Perantoni, Harvey Phillips, Donald Little, David Zerkel, David Saygers, Paul Hunt, and Eichi Inagawa. Dr. Kono has attended Keystone Brass Institute and Harmony Ridge Brass Center where he worked with Warren Deck. He completed a solo tour of Japan in summer 2011 which included a solo performance with Musashino Chamber Ensemble. Internationally recognized as a pedagogue on low brass and a strong advocate of music education, Dr. Kono has taught hundreds of students, and provided over 40 clinics. His students have competed regionally, nationally and internationally, and have shown impressive results.

Dr. Kono’s recent conducting highlights include: Full-staged production of Opera Brundibár by Hans Krása; the world premiere performance of Micro Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra by Alistair Coleman with violinist Soovin Kim, Among the Hidden by Patricia Julien, and Flight by Marcus Karl Maroney; performances with members of New York City Ballet and the Orchestra of St. Luke at the Central Vermont Chamber Music Festival; collaboration with a Grammy nominated jazz trumpeter, Ray Vaga; and a performance of Vermont Counterpoint with UVM Flute Ensemble at the presence of the composer, Steve Reich. He also has appeared as the guest conductor/clinician for the regional and festival Orchestras in Texas and Vermont. His book and transcriptions are published from Tuba Euphonium Press, Cimarron Press, and Linus Publications. He is a member of ITEA, Pi Kappa Lambda, the College Music Society, College Orchestra Directors Association and the Conductors Guild.

What They Say

"Dr. Kono has an easy, fun way with the students. They enjoy both his teaching style and the amount of material they cover in master classes. He also challenges them to push their limits, keep expanding their horizons."Mr. Ed Stein, Director of Bands, Round Rock High School.

"Dr. Kono proves to be an amazing teacher and performer. He does a fantastic job of conveying information where students can learn quickly. He also has a way of motivating students to desire to play their instruments to the best of their ability."Mr. Steve Wessels, Director of Bands, Cedar Park High School

"In addition to giving great information and experience in master classes for my bands, Mr. Kono has also taught my Tuba & Euphonium students privately for the 6 years prior to his moving to Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Mr. Kono has been and continues to be a valued resource for me and my low brass students. I would highly recommend any low brass student take advantage of the opportunity to study with and learn from Mr. Kono during the summer workshops & masterclasses that he is offering. It would be time well spent."Mr. Bryan Christian, Director of Bands, Vista Ridge High School﻿